


Rule 12

by tivaforever02 (Jevax2)



Category: NCIS, tiva - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:54:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 21,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22179655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jevax2/pseuds/tivaforever02
Summary: Tony and Ziva take a break from rule 12 for the weekend.  Mid season 6.  Have not done a rewatch in a while so timing on all references may not be exact to show but just stuff I know happened.  Point is smutty domestic TIVA fluff.
Relationships: Ziva David/Anthony DiNozzo
Comments: 6
Kudos: 95





	1. Chapter 1

“What are you drinking McGee?” Ziva asked when she got to the bar. They had arranged to meet for a few drinks after a long week. Two deaths had monopolized the majority of the week and a security detail for Director Vance in the middle. 

“I am ready for a beer.” He told her grabbing the on draft beer menu to pursue the option. 

“You haven’t started yet?” She replied surprised since he had to have been there for over an hour waiting for her. She had ran home quick to change and got stuck behind an accident.

“Well for starters you are never late so every time the waitress came by I said you would be right here...“ His cheeks flushed and he stopped making eye contact with her. “And that girl over there may have stopped over to chat.” He told her his eyes trying to discreetly direct Ziva’s to a pretty blonde a few tables over. Ziva laughed lightly and the she made a very serious face. “Really.” She did her best I am looking but I am not looking eyes for McGees benefit and saw who he assumed was the girl he was talking about making her own slide glances back at their table.

“Very pretty McGee and what did she have to say?”

“She said her friend was late and she didn’t want to sit all by herself. And I looked the most harmless.” He relayed still looking embarrassed about the whole thing and not quite ready to believe she had come over for any other reason.

“And you believe THAT?” Ziva asked incredulously. “McGee this girl obviously wants you. What did you say back.””

“Not much. She asked where I worked so I told her. She works as an aide for some Senator. She told me who but I was too worried about having something interesting to say so I wasn’t paying attention.”

“McGee” Ziva said with a tisk of her tongue and a shake of her finger. “Now I don’t really know how these American girls operate but rule one must be that you listen, no?” She started to say more when she was unceremoniously shoved over on the bench she was sitting on.

“Shove over David.” Tony injected while sliding into the space she had just occupied. “As much as I hate to admit it she’s right.” McGee and Ziva both stared at him for a second. Shocked at his unexpected sudden arrival.

“Excuse me...” she started while turning to smack him on the shoulder. 

“Tony?” McGee asked. “What are you doing here? I thought you had a hot weekend trip with Angie.”

“Yes, this was just suppose to be McGee and I tonight Tony. How did you know we would be here?” 

Tony smiled an incorrigible smile. “Abby told me.”

Ziva looked at McGee. “How did Abby know?”

McGee looked at Tony “I told Abby after you had already left.” 

“You told Abby, why would you tell Abby? I thought this was just you and me tonight and we said no one would know just in case.” Making dagger eyes at McGee indicating the reason they were keeping it a secret was so that the person who had just shown up would not show up. 

“Sorry he was already gone and I tell Abby everything . It just slipped out.” He explained sheepishly. Then pointed his finger back at Tony. “You still never answered my question. What happened to Angie. And how did you get a hold of Abby she was suppose to be bowling with the nuns tonight.” 

Tony threw some peanuts out of the bowl on the table in his mouth wondering where the hell the server was so he could get a drink. When he slid in the booth he had used his thigh to push Ziva out of the way to make room and then had not made the effort to move it yet. She had not moved further away either and the heat of the contact was starting to preoccupy his thoughts. He made a conscious effort not to look down at their joined legs to draw attention and maybe make her pull away. Instead he ate more peanuts and wished for beer.

“Yeah I found her. Stopped in for a game with the girls. I’m famished now. Where’s the waitress?” He said looking around still avoiding McGees first question. 

“TONY” Ziva exclaimed exasperated. “Why are you not in the hot weekend trip with Angie? Since you don’t seem to answer McGee.” 

“More like McNosy.” He paused for a minute picked up the menu on the table. Ziva and McGee looked at each other and then both reached over and smacked at him. Ziva on the shoulder and Tim at his hand holding the menu so he would be forced to look at them.

“Fine, fine.” He said putting his hands up in surrender. “She got all clingy. We got to the lodge and she was going to check us in as Mr and Mrs. As the words came out of her mouth I said nope and got back in my car. Good thing we had driven separately. Then it took me forever to find you guys and here I am.” He smiled a wide smile. Like he should get a gold star for finding them in the first place.

Ziva closed her eyes and shook her head. McGee did pretty much the same. Then dropped his head to the table and muttered. “Tony, Tony, Tony.”

“What??” He asked like he had done nothing wrong.

“You seriously left that woman at the lodge on her own?” Ziva asked. Finally seeming to realize that her leg was pressed firmly against his thigh and moved slightly to the left breaking the majority of the contact. Her hip still rested slightly against his. Thank god she thought as the heat in her leg disbursed at the break. She had been aware of his thigh from the second he sat down and just wanted to test how long he would leave it. It did not appear he had noticed at all. She had yet to decide if this was good or bad.

“She had it coming. Who throws in Mr and Mrs on a third date?”

“You were taking her to a lodge for the weekend Tony.” McGee reminded him.

“Yeah for sex. Not for a domestic married weekend as husband and wife.” He said as if it should have made perfect sense to everyone . “I do not do domestic married weekend. Where in gods hell is that waitress?” He said again feeling the rush of coldness as Ziva’s leg moved away from his. The extreme effect of any slight movement in her part was having not good impacts on his body or his mood. 

“Right here folks.” A perky waitress with blue hair finally pulled up to the table and slapped down some new coasters. “What are we having here.” “Beer” Tony and McGee said in unison. Ziva just shook her head. Silently wondering how what was suppose to be a relaxing night with McGee was turning into something completely different now that Tony was here and all she could think about was how aware she was of his every movement. She flipped the draft menu that McGee had slapped earlier from Tony’s hand to her side of the table back to them and looked at the waitress with a sympathetic look in her eye. “Give me a cosmo” she said. Then decided if this night was going to be a disaster might as well make it a big one. “And make it a double.”

The waitress winked at her in understanding and waited for the guys to make their selections before moving on to put in their orders.

“Now back to this girl you are not listening to. Where is she?” Tony demanded bring back the conversation he had initially interrupted with his arrival. “You have to know rule number one to getting laid at a bar is lavishing high praise with the small amounts of words you do say, saying nothing about yourself and listening to every word they say. Then repeat it back to them. That’s what gets them.”

Ziva laughed loudly at this. “You have got to be kidding me. That’s your advice for McGee?” She looked incredulously at McGee who had turned beet red at the mention of the girl he was still sneaking peaks at out of the corner of his eye. “Do not listen to him. Just be your self. Go over and talk to her.” She said motioning over to where she was before realizing her mistake and trying to catch herself. But it was too late.

“That one. That’s the girl.” Tony almost yelled seeing where Ziva had directed his attention. The pretty blonde obviously heard this and glanced over at them again. 

“Ziva!” McGee exclaimed trying to look anywhere but in the blondes direction. “Did you have too.” She looked sheepishly over at him. “Ugg sorry I know.” She said while stomping on Tony’s foot under the table. 

“OUCH” he exclaimed. While trying to look under the table and assess the damage. He glanced back up at Ziva with a fake wounded face but she wasn’t having it and just stomped again this time a bit harder. 

“Stop that!” He exclaimed. “That time really hurt.”

“Seriously McGee just go talk....” Ziva started, ignoring Tony but then was interrupted when the waitress came by to drop off their drinks. “Better bring another round right away” Ziva told her knowing that McGee would need some liquid courage to go speak with this girl. She spotted her a ten as a tip to make sure they kept her attention in their table. “You got it.” The waitress replied pocketing the funds. 

When Jessie got back to the bar she ordered the drinks and then slapped the ten on the table . “Ten bucks those two leave together.” She challenged Ronnie the bartender motioning to Tony and Ziva over her shoulder. He finished wiping the counter and glanced up. “No way. I’ll take that bet.” He slapped his own ten down and then felt a bit guilty taking money from the new waitress. He liked her. “Sweetie those two are partners at NCIS. Work for Gibbs. Rule 12. Coworkers can’t date.” He told her giving her a chance to back down.

“Hmm.” Jessie glanced back at the table and saw Ziva rubbing Tony’s shoulder in mock sympathy for stomping on his foot for and then talking back with McGee. McGee proceeded to down his beer. Tony was leaning under the table still to take off his shoe. His eyes looked up Ziva her when she was not watching him and and turned soft rather than annoyed. She had seen the way Ziva had looked at him earlier when he had first arrived. A mixture of pleasure and excitement in her eyes while she tried to feign disappointment. She slapped her hand back on the ten.

“Bet stands. Rule 12 or no rule 12, those two are leaving here together.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Drink up. Then go talk to her. And just be yourself.” Ziva told him making stink eyes in Tony’s direction to indicate that the advice he gave McGee was awful. “Or you may just wind up with a clingy girl that wants to be married after the second date,” she finished with a cheeky smile. She then leaned across and slowly patted McGees hand that rested on the table as he downed his beer with the other. “You will do fine.”

“Do you want to get laid tonight McGee or do you just want to talk her?” Tony said making a face back at Ziva after he assessed the damage she had inflicted on his toe. He had taken his shoe off and nothing appeared to be broken he decided. It was becoming more apparent that he also wanted to get laid tonight. He had come up from under the table just as Ziva had lean across the table and she had given him a face full of her hair. Fuck did it smell good. She didn’t use perfumes and such he had come to know but whatever hair product she was currently using smelled currently like lavender. He never even knew he liked the smell of lavender but the pain he felt was moving quickly from his foot to another part of his anatomy and he needed to stop it quick.

“For god sakes Tony. I just want to talk to her.” McGee grab the second beer the waitress put down and downed it as well. Or attempted to at least. This time he only got through half though before he had to put it down. “Okay.” He braced himself. “I am going over.” 

“Good Luck young grasshopper.” Tony said after he downed his drink and slammed his the empty glass down on the table as well. He just looked at the second one in front of him though making no move to copy his partner. 

Ziva laughed at the manly behavior from them both and then looked at McGee with a hopeful smile. “Go get them lion. I am sure you will be fine.” McGee smiled back at her, closed his eyes for a few second mentally rehearsing what he would say and then stood up and headed over to where the blonde was sitting. 

“Tiger”

“What?” Ziva asked bewildered at Tony’s comment. She turned to give him a weary look after assuring herself that McGee’s introductory greeting had went okay. The girl had given him a wide smile when he arrived at the table and it only got bigger as he pulled out a chair and sat down. Whatever he was saying was obviously working. The girl should consider herself lucky Ziva thought to herself, since McGee was such a good guy. Very cute as well...although not as cute as the troublesome man she had beside her (though a skilled torturer, even one as good as herself, would never get her to admit that sentiment aloud). 

She had felt his breath on her neck as she had leaned forward a few minutes earlier. She had felt more than heard him take a deep breathe when her hair passed over his face and she lingered a moment longer than she intended to see if that was what he had done. He did it again. Slightly deeper even the second time she noted and then she moved back swiftly before he realized she had deliberately lingered and was not just reassuring McGee. She listened earnestly to hear his next breath and could tell it was quite a bit lighter. She should not be so attune to him to noticed things like that. And he should not be smelling her hair. She had to get out of here quick.

“It’s go get em Tiger. Not lion.” Tony informed her. 

“Whatever”. She waved his comment off and debated revisiting the advice he had given McGee. To make sure he knew it was in her opinion crap advice but she was just not in the mood for an argument so instead she decided to try and make small talk. “So...”. She started. She was not good at small talk. She suddenly became aware of how how awkward it was that they were both sitting on the same side since McGee had vacated. She reached for the one of the two drinks in front of her. She made quick work of it and then decided to pause before dealing with the second same as he had done.

“So...”. Tony returned. He as well did not quite know what to say if they were going to try and be polite. He knew she wanted to pick at him for the advice he had given McNevergonnagetsome but she seemed to have decided to leave it alone. And she had stayed in the bench beside him. Not quite moving far enough away for him not to feel her very breath but far enough that he was working up ways in his mind so he could touch her again. His hand twitched as he moved it down to drum his fingers on the bench. If he glanced her thigh at the same time it was just a coincidence he reasoned. 

She had to get out of here. His fingers burned like fire as they glanced her leg. Once quickly, then again this time a bit slower. She stood up sharply. Surely he had not intended to touch her. His hands were just releasing excess energy she tried to convince herself. “I’m gonna sit over here.” She said after an awkward pause where she stood staring at the bar in front of her and he just looked up at her waiting to see where she would go. She then moved to the seat that McGee had left. She should not have moved that fast away from him after such a light touch he thought. She should not have even really felt it. 

“Yeah that makes sense.” He said with a slightly nervous laugh wondering if she was on to him. “I don’t think he’s coming back anytime soon.” He gestured over to where McGee and the blonde were involved in what looked like a very engaged discussion. Hands flaying on both sides as whatever they were discussing seemed to need very frantic hand gestures to get their point across.

“I bet she is pretending she loves video games.” Tony guessed. “Nothing else would get him that excited.”

“Maybe she actually does love them. Why would she pretend?” Ziva countered taking the defense of a person she didn’t know but sure that any respectable woman would not pretend to be interested in something she was not just for the affections of a boy in a bar. 

“You so don’t know how the bar games works in America David. He lies to her, she lies to him. Then they leave together and have sex.” She leaned over the table prepared to to fight for the girls and McGees honor when the waitress came back around. “Another round?” She questioned even though Ziva’s second drink was still nearly full. 

“Yes” Tony answered at the same time as Ziva said “No.” Tony told himself he just wanted to stay to see if McGee struck out. Jessie laughed to herself silently. This might not be as easy as she thought but she was going to win this bet even if she had to cheat a little. 

“It’s trivia night. Starts in...” she glanced down at her watch. “ten minutes. I get your table a buzzer and the DJ reads the questions out. Winner gets bragging rights and a free pound of wings. You two in?” She explained pointing to the both of them. 

Ziva wanted to say no and go home. She knew she should. That would be the smart thing to do. Tony was too close. She was too conscious his every moment. He looked too good with his hair ruffled and his eyes crinkled with light tiredness after what had been a long week for all them. She started to say it but then she stopped...she hadn’t been out in a while and let’s face it she was a tad lonely lately. She had been looking forward to the night out with McGee and now that he had abandoned her (which she did not blame him for) she wasn’t quite ready to call it a night. The prospect of playing a game that relied on Tony’s intellect was not quite what she had expected but the thought of leaving suddenly seemed to make her a little sad. She told herself that it had nothing to do with leaving Tony. 

She looked over to see his reaction. He would likely be anxious to get out his black book to line up his date anyway. He had spent all week bragging about what a hot time he was going to have with whatsherface all weekend that playing trivia on a Friday night with his partner would likely be the last thing he would want to do. 

He almost said no. He knew he should. She was too close. She smelled to good. His insides were too wound up at the thought of even his foot now nudging hers under the table for him to stick around. She was about to say no as well he noted watching her face as she still looked up at the waitress. He saw her lips start to open, but then she stopped. He though he saw what almost looked like sadness in her eyes before she covered it up quickly. The tough Mossad officer he knew so well came firmly back in control. But she still don’t say no. She didn’t say anything.

“You need a minute to think about it?” Jessie asked seeing her hesitation. 

Tony regarded Ziva with curiously as her eyes moved down and met his. He held them for a minute not quite able to put his finger on what he saw in them. Interest? Curiosity? He wasn’t quite sure but he knew something was there that wasn’t before. Then before he got too lost in what he reluctantly admitted only to himself were the most beautiful eyes he had ever encountered, he turned back to the waitress and made the decision for the both of them. 

“Sign us up. Bring one of the buzzer things.” Jessie smiled in earnest at them knowing she was one step closer to that ten bucks. “Sounds good. Be right back”

Guess this means she was staying. Guess this meant he wanted to too she thought. She couldn’t stop the genuine smile that formed on her lips. He saw it for what it was and smiled back. That this was getting very dangerous passed though her mind. Rule 12 and all but still for some reason that was completely outside of her usual manner of acting with complete control she ignored it. 

“Might as well get another round then too,” Ziva hollered after the waitress hoping she could still hear. Then she downed the rest of her drink. Jessie turned back to acknowledge the request. “Sure thing. Same thing?” They both nodded. “What about the other dude?” She said pointing over at McGee still at the other table. Ziva followed her eyes to where McGee was now showing the blonde something on his phone that she seemed super interested in. “You better check with him. I don’t think he’s coming back to our table anytime soon.”

When she turned back to Tony his eyes looked less tired than they had a moment earlier and were now full of mischievous. She felt warm all over and what could only be described as butterflies fluttered in her stomach. 

“So I guess it’s just us David.”


	3. Chapter 3

“So all you do is buzz in when you know the answer and the board up there tells Rick, he’s the the DJ, who got in first. If you are right in round 1 you get 10 points. If you are wrong you lose ten points. Three rounds. Points double each round. 10, 20 and 40. Team with most points at the end wins.” Jessie explained to them as she dropped off the buzzer and another round. “You are team 7.” 

“Okay thank you” Ziva responded taking the large red buzzer and fiddling with it in her hands before placing it in the center of the table. She tested it a few times hitting it firmly in the center. It went up and down but didn’t light up or buzz yet since it had not yet been activated. Tony then tried a few times as well after she moved her hand away.

“Okay what’s the strategy here? I buzz? You buzz? We both just hit it if we know the answers?”

“Hmmm” she thought for a minute. She could become very competitive when the time called for it so he was right they did need a strategy. “Movie questions for sure are you. Anything else...”

“Hey come on!” He countered, slightly offended. “I know other stuff...well some other stuff. Maybe not like history or politics...but stuff.” She rolled her eyes but was willing to let him try to compete with her. Her photographic memory though gave her a leg up. “Okay then you get movies and...stuff,” she said exaggerating the word. “And I should be able to handle the rest.” She slide her feet out of her shoes and crossed her legs under her on the chair. If they were going to do this they may as well win she decided. She flexed her hand and stetched put her wrist a few times to ready herself for the buzzer action. Testing it a few more times. 

He watched her as she did. As she had pulled her feet up underneath her and leaned forward he saw her relax in a way he had not seen before. She then reached over and took a big sip from her drink and he realized she was still drinking doubles. That amount of alcohol was more than he was used to seeing her drink so this could defiantly get interesting. Usually she stopped after one or two. Her control legendary. Tonight she seemed to be making an exception. He sip his beer noting he was a bit behind her at this stage and while it would be safer to stick with beer if she was going to drink he might as well stay with her. Double rye and coke the next round he decided.

She put her hand on the buzzer one last time, just rested in on top more for something to do with her hand than anything else. Before he could help himself he laid his hand over hers. She looked up meeting his eyes in surprise. While the heat of his hand seeped into hers at the point of contact it was a shiver instead that went up her spine. The hair raised on her arms. Her cheeks flushed slightly he noted but she did not pull away. Her hand felt small and soft under his. He pushed down lightly. 

“So like this?” He asked. A light smile on his lips. He knew what would happen if he didn’t pull back now, where they were headed. When he left Angie at the lodge earlier his only thought was to find her. He told himself it was just the team he was looking for. All of them. Abby, McGee, Ziva. When he found Abby and she told him that Ziva and McGee had met up for drinks he acted cool. He talked to her for a while, bowled a whole game. But was counting down the seconds in his head to when he could leave. When he finally walked in the bar and saw them at the table he knew that a weekend of sex with some nameless person was not what he had really wanted. Now that Ziva was sitting in front of him, his hand on hers. He was exactly where he wanted to be. 

“Yes just like that.” she said. Her eyes starting to brighten from the alcohol as she looked across at him. The adrenaline of anticipation starting to take hold. When she decided to stay she knew where it would lead. The continued heat of his hand on hers just a pre cursor. They had past the point of no return the moment she left her hand under his. The longer she left it where it was the clearer both of their intent became. 

He was about to say something else when suddenly the buzzer came to life causing both of them to jump and pull back their hand. It made a siren sound and started flashing red. Obviously they were the only people with their hand in it when the system was activated. McGee looked over at the commotion they caused but thankfully it was after they had retreated. He said a few more words to his new friend and went back over their table. 

“Seriously you guys are playing?” He said to them both realizing how long he had been gone and that he had left them alone or quite a while. And that they had yet to kill each other. “Together? Won’t you kill each other first arguing about who is right even if your both wrong?”

“Very funny McCasanova” Tony said dryly. “Yes we are playing. Together” he emphasized. The look he exchanged with Ziva acknowledging that there was more that just a trivia game that they were about to embark on. Together. McGee though missed it as he had already swiveled his head backwards as his pretty blonde standing up to leave had caught his attention. “Okay see you guys later,” was all he replied to them complete losing interest in whether or not they could get along. He pause though a few second after leaving the table. Remembered his manners and that he should not just leave Ziva since he came with her even if Tony was now here. Especially since Tony was now here he actually said to himself. 

“Sorry Ziva. Are you good? I can stay,” he offered weakly his eyes still following the other table as she was now putting on her coat. Ziva smiled in appreciation at his noble attempt at loyalty to her. 

“I am fine.” She told him. She waived her hand at his girl. “Go catch her before she leaves. Seriously I am fine.” She emphasized again. 

“Okay see you Monday.” He told her without a backwards glance. 

While McGee missed the look that passed between them Ronnie and Jessie at the bar did not.

“Pay up” was all she had to say and he passed her the two tens conceding defeat.

“Beginners luck” he mumbled and continue to wipe down the bar.


	4. Chapter 4

After the first two rounds they had racked up a lot of points and a few more empty glasses. There was a break before the final round started but they built such a lead it would have been next to impossible for them to lose. The music blared again and people moved back to the dance floor while they waited. 

“This might be the booze talking,” she said giving him a slightly tipsy smile and draining the last of her glass. “But you are smarter than you let on.” She had to reluctantly admitted he had been right he did know “stuff.” For the last hour or so he had dropped the frat boy persona and for the duration of the game they had played together like a well skilled competitive team. 

They answered one question after another somewhat to the annoyance of the other teams. He worked the crowd though to lessen the blow, especially when the questions related to movies he either loved or hated. He gave spot on impressions of his favorite lines. They exchanged high fives when they got questions right. Supported each other on the few they got wrong. High tenned over the table when they were declared the leaders after the each of the first two rounds. She had smiled and laughed more during the game than she had in a long time and for that she was grateful. 

“Thank you.” He replied in acknowledgement of her unexpected compliment. He clinked her empty glass with his. “You didn’t do to bad yourself David. You got a few too.” She just smiled back at him not even caring to debate how many each had answered as she likely would have in any other night. She relaxed lower into her chair and enjoyed her surroundings. 

“I love this song,” she said without thinking as a slow soft melody replaced what had been steady steam of dance music. She closed her eyes as she listened. He froze for a second as he watched her. She had never told him the things that she loved. The she he was referencing being Ziva. Officer David he knew all about. He knew the model of glock Officer David liked best. Which portion of the case file she hated and tried to avoid. He knew that her evidence photos always angled slightly to the left. That stuff she let him see everyday. Seeing Officer David had always fascinated him. Seeing Ziva now, in this state, had him spellbound. 

This Ziva genuinely laughed at his movie impressions when she thought were funny. She high fived him with the excitement of a child when they got 10 points for knowing that Chuck Noll had won more SuperBowls that any other coach in NFL history. This Ziva loved a corny sappy love song. She gave him such warm feelings in his chest that she should have set off all types of alarms in his brain. Alarms that should have sent him running for the exit as he had earlier in the evening. But they didn’t. Instead they made him happy. He felt a wave of contentment that he had never experience wash over him. So rather than running, he something he rarely did. He waited, waited for her to open her eyes, waited for her eyes to meet his so she could see what he felt. Then he extended his hand and asked her to dance.

His offer caught her off guard. The soft look in his eyes as he asked adding to it. She blinked a few times to regain her composure then put her hand in his quickly. Before she could change her mind or overthink it. He pulled her to the semi crowd dance floor and her arms went up around his neck when they stopped. She looked over his shoulder initially, so she could avoid his gaze. She was slightly worried about what she would see if she looked at him again. Knowing the line they were crossing was more than just sex. He pulled her in closer tucked her head under his chin. 

“What about 12?” She heard him whisper, seemingly reading her mind. She felt his lips press lightly on the top of her head. His had spread his hands wide when they stopped and rested them lightly where her waist met her hips. They swayed slowly to the music. Oblivious to how much they already looked like lovers to those still around them. 

She leaned her head flat against chest, feeling the strong beat of his heart against her cheek. 

“I’m so sick of rules.” She answered honestly. He barely heard her words they were so quiet. Like they had been squeezed from the depth of her soul. His lips found the top of her ear. As low as he dared to go at the moment with a crowd around them but unable to stop himself. His teeth grazed it lightly followed by a quick flick of his tongue. A shockwave travelled through her all the way to her toes. A low groan escaped from the back of her throat. 

He went instantly hard as he heard it. His throat closed. He flexed his wrists at her waist to move her slightly away from him. “I think it’s time to go.” He managed to croak out. 

She pulled back and looked up at him, surprise at the sudden change in his tone reflected in her eyes. He pulled her back into him, this time closer and she felt the source of his issue press against her hip.

She laughed lightly and closed her eyes. She could barely restrained the urge to grind against him. She reopened her eyes and was suddenly aware that the dance floor had emptied with a change in the music.

“Yes, time to go.” She repeated locked in his gaze, the game completely forgotten. He took her hand in his and they headed for the door. 

Jessie was about to stop them. To make sure they didn’t miss the last round and claim their victory. But she saw the look in her eyes, the urgency in his step as he led her out and knew that for them the game was over.


	5. Chapter 5

Once they got outside he remembered he had left his weekend bag in the trunk of his car. He still had his badge and such in it as he had left straight from work for his prior plans. He didn’t want to leave her but he needed to grab it. The neighborhood wasn’t quite safe and he did NOT want to be explaining why he left his car at a bar to Gibbs on Monday morning. 

“Just wait here.” He said depositing her in the cab line up. “Be right back.”

He was back as quickly as he promised with his stuff and then they waited in silence. There was only about 5 groups in front of them but the line was moving pretty quickly. Tony stood beside her, their shoulders occasionally brushing as they moved forward each time a group in front of them left. They had gotten drunk enough to be slightly wobbly on their feet but still had a good grasp in their balance overall. 

When it was their turn he opened the door and motioned for her to slide in first. She didn’t go all the way to the end but stayed in the middle and he pressed up beside her. Her thigh once again felt hot against his, their shoulders connecting. She gave the driver her address and then leaned back slightly in the seat but not breaking their contact. Neither of them wanting to move any further apart. 

He could hear her breathing beside him, feel her chest rise and fall with each breath. His hands itched to touch her. Skim her leg, her arm, anything really but he knew the next time he did he wouldn’t be able to stop. He focused on staying in control. Taking her in the back of a cab was probably not kosher he figured. He knew he was holding it together by a thread and hoped once they arrived at her place he could at least get her to the bed before he snapped.

She faced similar issues. She held her hands on her lap weaving her fingers together to keep from reaching out. She hadn’t been this drunk in a long time she thought. It felt good to let go. Her senses where heightened just enough to enjoy the short cab ride but to keep everything else fuzzy. She focused solely on the heat of him beside her. He was so warm. She could smell the whisky on his breath as he breathed. Every nerve in her body was on fire.

He paid the driver when they came to a stop. Leaning over her to pass him the cash. He met her eyes as he turned back to get out. Last chance to change their minds he though. She met his look equally and put her hand on his shoulder to push him out of the cab as her answer. 

They didn’t make it to the bed. They barely made it inside the door. He threw his bag on the floor and his hands went to her waist as she was putting the key in the lock. She felt him grip her tightly, could feel his urgency as his fingers dug into her sides. When the door finally gave way he kicked his bag in with his foot and guided her inside shifting her quickly back up against the door as it closed with a thud. Her hands went to his hair pulling his mouth down to hers. 

He closed the distance she left with a curse. “Fuck” Then his mouth was finally on hers. He tasted so good. Her tongue tangled with his then ran over his teeth. 

His hands went to her chest molded his hands to her breasts then moved down and made quick work of her zipper. Her hands stayed in his hair. Kept his mouth locked to hers. They had kissed years before when they were undercover, but it wasn’t like this. They never took it farther than playful flirting for effect. Now with his tongue in her mouth and his hand down her pants she only wanted more.

“Now, hurry”. She panted finally reaching down to undo his belt. He sprung out into her hand. She stroked him once, then he pushed her hand away and locked his arms under her ass pulling her up against the door so her legs could wrap around his waist. He drove into her. Once, then twice and felt her break. She moaned low in her throat, her hands griping his shoulders. He felt her stomach quiver as she pushed up against him riding the wave. He drove in one more time and followed her down. 

A few moments later he leaned his forehead against hers. Their breath came in pants. He waited for his brain to restart. Her stomach still twitched and she was limp in his arms. This should feel awkward was his first thought. He had just fucked his partner. His teammate. His co-worker. But it didn’t. It only felt...only one word would come...perfect. He pushed that thought out quickly though. Tried to lighten the air. “It’s usually longer. I swear.” He told her. His hands still held her up against the door. Her legs still wrapped tight around his waist. 

She tried to laugh in response but the effort was beyond her. Thankful for the door still at her back to hold her up, her body felt weightless. She brought her hands up to his face, laying a palm on each side. She could feel the end of day stubble starting to form on his cheeks. She pulled his mouth down to hers. Felt his breath warm on her lips. She kissed him long and slow as she had yearned to do all night. 

“It was,” she started moving back slightly but her lips still grazing his as she spoke. “The perfect amount of time.” She concluded echoing his thoughts. If she had finished so hard or so fast before she could not recall it.

She finally opened her eyes and his looked into hers. “It was pretty good wasn’t it.” He admitted. She nodded in response. Kissing him once more. 

He reset her slightly and locked his hands under her ass. When she was stable he kicked out of his pants needing a slight wiggle of his hips to get them all the way off.

“You can put me down now you know.” 

“Nope. Your coming with me,” he informed her and then pivoted to head back towards the bedroom. 

“Seriously?” She questioned but loving the feeling of being carried across the room still in his arms. 

She was about to tell him to turn on a light so they don’t fall when they heard a bang on the door. He stopped cold. 

“Ziva? Ziva, are you okay in there? I heard bangs.” Suddenly came a loud voice through the door. “I can call 9-11!”

“Oh my god” she mouthed under her breath pushing both hands on his mouth to keep him quiet. 

“It’s fine Mrs Rodstein. Don’t call 9-11!” She yelled back. “OH MY GOD” she mouthed to him again, her face baffled trying to think of something to say. “The door...” started as she quickly came up with a lie. “The door was stuck so I had to push it a few times to get it to close. It’s fine. Go back to bed.” 

“Are you sure dear? I should come in.”

“NO” she almost screamed. Tony tried not to laugh but he couldn’t help himself. She pressed her hands harder over his mouth to keep him quiet. She motioned him with her eyes to stop it now. Stay quiet her eyes told him. 

“I am just going to get in the shower Mrs Rodstein. Thanks for checking on me though. Please go back to bed.” 

They waited a breath praying the door did not open. They did not think to lock it. 

“Okay dear. Make sure to get that fixed right away. It’s not safe for a girl who lives all alone to have a broke door” She informed them while turning around and walking back to her apartment. Ziva knew that it was Mrs Rodstein’s way of reminding her for the 100th time that she should be married already. She should have a man to protect her. If only she knew that currently she had a man with her. One who would likely die to protect her. She didn’t stop to dwell on that thought though as it flew though her mind. 

“Yes, yes I will. Good night”

They waited a beat to make sure she was gone and then both started to laugh. She finally took her hands off his mouth. 

“Well that would have been awkward.” He said while looking up at her. Even in the dark he could make out her smile with the moonlight that trickled in the large window. Her face was still flushed. Her hair mostly a mess. She had never looked better. 

“Now where was I.” He said his voice getting deeper. 

“Not quite sure. Where are where taking me?” 

“To the bed, Ziva.” He told her, saying the words even though he knew he shouldn’t. He knew should leave before he fell deeper. But he was too far gone already to care. “To the bed.”


	6. Chapter 6

When he woke in the morning she was still asleep. He had wound up near the edge of the bed as she had taken over most of the space. She was not used to needing to share and it showed. She her arms and legs spread out on each side of her claiming seventy-five percent of the available space. She faced him but her hair covered most of her face. Like him she was still completely naked. The blanket covered her though only exposing her shoulders to him. They were good shoulders he though, barely resisting the urge to run his fingers over them for fear of waking her. 

Instead he watched her sleep for a few more minutes. Wondered how she could sleep with so much hair in her face. He could see it raise and fall slightly with each of her slow and steady breaths. Then he slowly backed out of the bed. It was time to be responsible he decided. As unexpected (and amazing if he was being honest) as last night had been it was morning now and the ramifications of what they had done were starting to sink in.

They had completely broken rule 12. Not just once but three times. And it had started in public. Now they didn’t frequent the bar they were at that often but Washington can be a small town and there was likely some there that knew them. Who had seen them dance, then leave together. While they may not have done what they didn’t without as much alcohol as they had decided to consume they definitely should have been a bit more discrete. 

He picked up his clothes and then crept out of the room and located his bag. It was still by the door where he left it. He threw on some clothes from his bag, a t shirt and jeans. If he was disappointed to leave he ignored it. He was quiet with the apartment door and he slipped outside to call a cab and make his way home. 

She had awoken when he had slid out of the bed, but she kept her eyes closed and let him continue. As quiet as he tried to be she was far to well trained to not wake at the slightest disturbance. She heard his feet move around briefly as he gathered his clothes and snuck out closing the door quietly behind him. 

If she was disappointed at his stealthy exit she didn’t allow herself to dwell on it. She shouldn’t have let him stay in the first place. She waited for the headache as she became more awake. Hoped for it actually. Something to reassure her that she had been drunk enough to condone what they had done. That it was the alcohol that caused her to break rule 12 so unapologetically. 

No headache came. She remembered every minute of last night with striking clarity despite the liquor she had consumed. Obviously not enough she though and she rolled on her stomach. Put her face in the mattress and pulled a pillow over her head. If there were tears where her eyes hit her sheets she ignored them. 

Then a short while later she heard the door slip back open and the quiet steps of his feet. She could tell it was him. The pillow was unceremoniously pulled from her head. 

“Hey. Wake up. Coffee’s here.” Tony informed her. She waited a beat before turning over. Why was he back? She held the sheet to her chest as she flipped over to face him. He stood at the side of the bed holding a tray with two coffee and a bag which presumably held breakfast food of some sort. 

“Shove over.” He repeated his command from last night. “Wasn’t sure if you wanted blueberry or chocolate chip so I got one of each.” He continued making himself comfortable beside her in the bed. His back leaned up against the headboard handing her a coffee. Started to open the bag with the muffins. She took it, a dazed look still on her face. 

“I though you left?” She finally said, sitting up now as well, making sure to keep the sheet with her as she leaned on the headboard as well. 

“I did.” He turned to face her as he spoke. “Got outside. Was gonna call a cab but don’t seem to be able to.” His eyes looked quizzical, like he was still trying to understand why he was back here himself. 

“Then I smelt the coffee. Nice place down there by the way. And coffee seemed better than an cab. Once I ordered it seemed rude not to get you one as well. Since I did keep you up pretty late.” He tried to look apologetic as he said it but couldn’t quite pull it off. His mind flashed back to the details of the night before and he grinned instead. She flushed slightly, couldn’t stop the sight uplift of her lips. 

“Well, that last time was all me.” She reminded him. That it was her that had instigated the third time. He was almost asleep after he had brought her into the bedroom and fully assured her that he could in fact go much longer than what had happened at the door. They had just laid together for a while after not saying anything. Then her hands had crept back on to his chest. She had meant to just touch him briefly. A stoke or two before going to sleep. But once she started she felt the heat rise again. So she moved her hand lower and just could not seem to stop. He happily obliged.

“Oh yeah.” He responded as if he had forgotten. “That was you. I guess you should have gotten me a coffee. Maybe next time?” He let that hang in the air.

“Tony”. She gave him a look at his words. One of them had to be reasonable she thought. This had gone way further already than it should have. 

“We need to stop this.” She tried to look serious. 

“Agreed.” Then he took the coffee he had just given her back and placed both his and hers on the ground beside the bed.

“But first.” He leaned over and kissed her. Put his hand over hers where she held up the sheet, pulling lightly. “I really need to see what’s under this sheet.” 


	7. Chapter 7

“Okay now you really should go.” Ziva told him as they stood by the the door both attempting to prolong what should have already ended. He knew as soon as he left they would be back to being partners rather than lovers. He was worried that going forward that would no longer be enough for him. Now that he had kiss her for real (not just while undercover with everyone watching), watched her sleep, heard her moan. He was not quite sure how not touching her every time he saw her was going to be possible. 

“I know I know. I am going.” He told her planting one last quick kiss in her lips. 

“One for the road” he said while giving her a wink. She laughed lightly and put her hands on his chest to push him towards the door. He grabbed his bag from the floor but as he reached for the door knob his phone suddenly went off in his pocket causing him to pause. He pulled it open almost hoping it was Gibbs with a a case. If there was a case it would be much easier to occupy what remained of his weekend rather than wishing he was back here. 

“McGee” he told her reading the caller Id.

“Shit, he texted me this morning to make sure I got home. I forgot to respond. You better answer it.” She said as she saw his hesitation. If they both didn’t answer he might might start asking more question. And that they did not need. 

“Hey McGee, what’s up? You calling from home? Or...” Tony let the question trail off hoping to distract him into talking about his night rather than asking Tony about his. 

“Yeah. At home...” McGee paused for effect, finally having a reason to. “Just got here.”

“Yeah buddy!” He exclaimed, giving Ziva a thumbs up sign to indicate McGee had in fact scored. She just shook her head and rolled her eyes back at him.

“Yeah it’s pretty rare I go home with a girl and you don’t.” MeGee relayed not wanting to gloat but wanting to gloat. 

“Hey how do you know I didn’t go home with a girl?” Tony answered too stubborn still to let McGee have the upper hand even when he knew he should just let it go. Ziva’s eyes frowned at him as he said it. “Tony.” She mouthed under her breath. “Zip it!”

“Because you were with Ziva when I left. I know you wouldn’t just leave her all alone. Which by the way is why I am calling. When did she leave. She’s not answering my texts.” Ziva could hear his side of the conversation and opened her phone and saw he had just texted again. She didn’t want to answer it right away though just in case it seemed too suspicious. 

“Yeah she got home fine. Sure she’s just sleeping in. She had quite a few...” Tony smiled at her as he said it. She just continued to make not nice gestures at him wishing he would just hang up already. “We shared a cab so I know she was fine.”

“Shared a cab? You guys live in opposite directions. And you had your car?”

“Yeah I know. Had a few myself. Didn’t want to drive. Gonna go get my car here soon.” He reached over absentmindedly as he said it and swept her hair from in front of her face. Some had come loose from the messy ponytail she had put it in earlier. It was a gesture he had imagined himself doing a thousand times before but had never actually done. It seemed suddenly his comfort level with her was rapidly increasing. 

She stilled as he did. Of all of the levels of intimacy they had breached in the last few hours this one seemed the deepest. It was a casual touch. The sweep of his finger across her face. Then him tucking the wayward hair gently behind her ear. He just continued along his conversation with McGee like it never happened. Yep he needed to leave, she thought again. 

“Okay bye.” He was saying as she zoned back in missing the last of the call. He looked at her strangely for a second as if he saw that her thoughts had wandered. She brushed it off and once again pushed him to the door.

“I will answer McGee. See you on Monday.” She said sternly. Still not quite sure how on earth she was going to be able to act normal around him on Monday with all that had happened but she would worry about that later.

“Bye” he said again this time really turning and exiting the apartment. He pulled the door closed behind him and took a deep breath out. 

She leaned her back against the door after it closed and did the same. Now back to normal she thought to her self. She was already late for her run she noted looking down at her watch. 10am. Much later than she usually got up and moving on a Saturday. No one typically had ever stayed this late. Not that she took sex lightly but she had had her fair share of one night stands and usually she ended them pretty quickly. She thought briefly about Michael back in Israel but that was a while ago and things there still very uncertain. She knew that her feelings for Tony had always run just under the surface but now that they had crossed a very dangerous bridge she hoped she could push them back down as quickly as they had come up last night.

Deciding to forgo the run a shower was next on the agenda. So she headed for the bathroom to get on with her day. She punched out a quick reply to McGee to let him know she was home. That she had been gone on a run when he texted she lied.

The quick shower relaxed her. When she got out she saw Tony’s t shirt was still on the ground. The grey Ohio State one he once told her was his favorite. He must have changed into a new shirt after they had sex the last time. She hadn’t really been paying attention to what he was wearing. As she reached down to pick it up the smell of him hit her. It wasn’t quite musky. Cologne? Aftershave? She wasn’t quite sure. It just smelled like him. 

Putting it on was likely a bad idea but she couldn’t quite work up the energy to care. He was gone. No one would know. So what if she wore his old shirt for the day. She grabbed a pair of jeans, threw them on and headed back to the living room.

The Saturday crossword was her favorite. The ones during the week were pretty small but on Saturday the newspaper had a big one that she always did. She sat cross legged on the couch, balancing a book on her legs so she could write as she worked on it.

When the door suddenly opened she looked up in surprise. 

“Hey I forgot my...” Tony started as he entered. Again. Her face instantly blushed as her eyes locked with his. Dammit she thought. He wasn’t suppose to come back. 

He stopped in his tracks. She was wearing his shirt. His favorite shirt. Her hair was still wet from the shower. It was hanging down over her shoulders, wetting the fabric. Her legs pulled up beneath her. The pen hung in the air as if he had hit pause on a video. Her blush just got deeper the longer he stared. He fell as he stared. Fell head over heels. He had been headed there for a while he realized, but seeing her wearing his shirt put him over the edge. He felt his heart pound in his chest. His stomach like it had been punched. 

“It’s okay, never mind.” He stammered turning to go. What the fuck he thought in his head. He had thought he had been in love before but as the image of her stamped itself in his brain he knew that whatever he had felt before was nothing compared to this.

“Hey.” She said loudly. 

He stopped.

“Yes?” He turned. His legs a bit wobbly. 

“Why don’t you stay.”

“Stay?”

She looked down. Away, anywhere to avoid his eyes. This was stupid she thought. This was just sex. She was just lonely. Horny. Whatever. She didn’t need him to stay.

“Nevermi..”

“YES” he said firmly. 

Her eyes turned back to his. 

“Yes?” 

“Yes” he repeated.


	8. Chapter 8

“I’m gonna sit down.” He said as he headed to the opposite end of the couch. 

“Okay.” There was a tightness in her chest as he accept her offer to stay. She watched him move to the couch, start to sit one way. Then changing his mind, picking up the pillow to put on the floor. He finally decided to go cross legged as well but sideways so he faced her rather than looking out. His lower back leaned up against the arm. Maybe she was over analyzing but he seemed not quite like himself. Nervous almost. What to do/say now though she had no idea. The awkwardness that had alluded them so far settled in. 

He hoped his sudden revelation to himself that he loved her was not overly apparent. Her blush had died down but she still looked unsure. Fidgety. She clicked the end of her pen once. Then again. 

“Should we talk about this? I don’t even know what I meant when I asked you to stay. The words just came out of my mouth.” She finally said being honest. She put the pen, book and crossword down on the middle of the couch between them. She turned to face him as well. 

“I guess. I don’t know either. I just don’t want to leave.” He smiled as he said it and it lightened the mood. 

“Fine.” She decided to summarize. She was very good at getting the facts and lining them up. Maybe if she did that this whole situation would make sense. 

“I asked you to stay. I don’t know why or what we are going to do. You.” She leaned her hand out pointing to him. “Said yes. And now here we are. We have totally broken rule 12.” 

“Yes. Yes we did.” He agreed. 

“I have lied to McGee. You lied to McGee. And Mrs Rodstein. I lied to her as well. Now I have to pretend to get the door fixed.” She recalled. “She will not forget this. That woman has a memory like an elephant. But regardless. We have to keep this straight. According to McGee you are getting your car now. Should you go get that and take it home?” 

He was not going anywhere. That much he knew. “I think you are overthinking this. He will be too overjoyed at the fact he spent last night with a girl that he hopefully won’t think about either of us again until he gets to work on Monday. That’s what I would do.” She rolled her eyes at him. He knew he was lying as the words came out of his mouth. He was tired of lying.

“Well correction. You I think about all the time so that doesn’t count anyway.” 

He saw her eyes widen. Maybe lying was still needed for now he realized. He needed to get ahold of himself before he really said something stupid (like that he loved her). 

“Moving on.” He said quickly so they could get back on track. 

“If he asks about the car again I will just say I got too lazy. Watched a movie marathon or something and didn’t need it.” She still looked panicky. He didn’t want her changing her mind. The thought of spending the weekend with her was so appealing to him now he was not going to let it get away from him. 

“What if we set some new rules? What we can and can’t do?” Maybe that would appeal to her he reasoned. If they gave it some order.

It did not. She turned away from him instead and stared blankly at the door. He was losing her he could tell. He tried to recalled her words from the night before. What had she said when he asked about rule 12. That she was sick of rules. That was it. And then he knew what to do.

“What if we said no rules?”

She turned back to him. A glimmer of hope in her eyes.

“What do you mean no rules?” 

“No rules. No rule 12. No rule 10, 30 whatever. No NCIS. No Gibbs. Nothing.” He looked at his watch. 

“What if for the next twenty...thirty.” He corrected himself quickly. Why twenty when he could have thirty. 

“Thirty hours.” YEARS, his traitorous mind screamed at him. SHUT UP he screamed back. 

“We are just two people who met at a bar. And had good sex.“ He just had to throw that in. 

“No Officer David. No VERY special agent DiNozzo.” He continued, as usual emphasizing the very in his self anointed title. 

“Just us.” He put his hand to his chest. “Just Tony.” He reaches across and put his hand over hers. “And Ziva.” She still looked undecided. 

He pulled out his phone. Pulled the battery off. Reached over took hers off the coffee table. Did the same things. He looked back at her again. 

She considered his words. His actions. No rules. No phones. 

“Good sex?” She narrowed her eyes at him as she said it. If her insides were mushy at his determination to spend the weekend with her, not to mention the fact that he said he thought about her outside of work, she didn’t focus on it. 

“Great sex.” He amended knowing he was winning now. 

This she could do she decided. It sounded so good. Just her and him. God she wanted this. But she should make sure they geared it back towards sex. To keep it lighter than the current direction it was heading. 

“Will you do the tongue thing again?” She asked with a fake coyfulness. Love may intimidate her but sex sure did not.

He smiled wide. Wider than she figured she had ever seen. He looked so happy at her simple compliment she was taken aback. Fuck she did love him she realized. Loved him hard. All of him. The stupid and the silly parts of him. The strong parts he showed when he needed to. When the job required it of him. Even the ego part that came out she knew he was protecting what had been damaged so long ago. 

“You liked that did you?” He leaned over a bit closer. Moved her stuff off the couch. 

Keep it to sex blasted through her head. Keep it to sex. 

“Yes. It was pretty inventive.” Her voice was getting husky. 

“Only if you do the top thing again.” He slid over putting his hands on her waist. Pulled her into his lap. His mouth found her neck. She leaned over to give him better access. 

“It didn’t hurt?” 

He laughed lightly. “Maybe a bit. But just at first. Totally worth it.” His hands ran up her thighs. She started unbuttoning his shirt. 

“We may not have to worry about Monday being awkward.” He said his mouth working his way to hers. 

She slid his shirt over his shoulders. Ran her hands down his back. 

“Why not?” 

“We may just kill each other with all the sex before then.” 

She laughed wholeheartedly at that, her head moving back. 

“Maybe” she acknowledged. Then brought her mouth back to his. Explored his tongue with hers “But what a way to go.”


	9. Chapter 9

“So what’s the plan for today?” He asked as he leaned up against her counter. She looked over at him as she continued to unload the dishwasher. He had taken a shower while she finished her crossword. He decided against shaving so a days worth of stubble had accumulated on his face. 

She did a bit of double take at it and then shrugged her shoulders. It was seldom he didn’t shave but she didn’t mind the look on him. 

“Agent DiNozzo shaves.” He said as a way of explanation. “Tony I think likes a beard.” He rubbed his hand over his chin as she put away the last of the cutlery then closed the door of the dishwasher. She came over to stand in front of him, raised her hands and placed them on his cheeks rubbing what was a very early beard lightly. “I think Ziva does as well,” she concluded and then leaned in and gave him a kiss on the lips angling her chin so she felt the whiskers. 

He leaned his forehead against hers and smiled. Then grabbed her face with both hands and rubbed his full cheek against hers. 

“Doesn’t it tickle?” 

She laughed loving the feel of it on her face. She moved her hands to his chest realizing they would have another day to let it grow.

“A bit. Ask me again in the morning.” She brought her hands back to cheeks, slapped her palms against them using the motion to push away him way at the same time. The fact that she knew he would be there in the morning made her chest all warm and fuzzy. 

“I need to do laundry and get some groceries.”

She opened the fridge to show him its current state of emptiness. Aside from some condiments there was a few eggs left in the carton, a brick of moldy cheese and two containers of left over Chinese that was no longer edible.

“Yes I could say you need some food. We will need to restock our energy for later.” He said coming up behind her as she reached into the fridge to remove the outdated rice and kung pow chicken that had served as two or three of her meals. His hands found her hips and while he was more than satisfied for the moment he relished the opportunity just to casually touch her. He leaned his head over her shoulder so he could get a better look inside. “You must eat out a lot. Where should we go?” 

“It was a long week. And I was not quite expecting company.” She said somewhat defensively as she closed he fridge door. She was not quite sure why the sad state of her fridge suddenly enforced how singular she had become lately. He probably kept more on hand at his place in the event of company. Lady company. She had never been jealous of his dates before but suddenly it seems to bother her. She turned to look at the side of his face as she answered his final question.

“We can’t go out together.”

“Why not?“ he rested his chin on her shoulder keeping her where she was. He could feel her body tense up and wondered at the cause of it. Surely she couldn’t care what he thought of the content of her fridge. 

“Do you ever run into anyone from work when you get groceries?“

She thought about that for a second. 

“Well no I guess not.”

“Then it’s fine. You can load the wash and then we can head out.” He planted a kiss on her cheek and released her. He headed to the couch to turn on the tv while he waited.

“Okay.” He made it sound so simple and decided she could not help but just agree with him.

She organize the laundry and got ready to put in a load of whites. She sometimes sent it out if work got too busy but usually she liked to handle her own stuff.

“Whites going first. You need anything washed?” He didn’t really. He had packed enough clothes for this prior plans that he could make it to Sunday but just as he was about to say no he changed his mind. Mixing his laundry with hers suddenly appealed greatly to him.

“Yeah throw in my pants from yesterday.”

“Those aren’t whites.” She informed him knowing that he had had on khaki pants. 

“Close enough.” He responded not taking his eyes off the tv. An old episode of twilight zone was on and had caught his attention. 

She stared at him for a minute. Whites were white and khakis were not white. She almost told him so. She sure wasn’t used to anyone questioning her system of laundry It had never even been an issue with any boy before. So this is what it’s like she she thought. Sharing things like laundry with someone else. She could handle this. He wasn’t wrong. Khakis weren’t necessarily colored either. What did it matter. 

Rather than think too hard about it she just went into the bedroom to find his pants. She saw his bag but didn’t feel comfortable to go through it. He had planned to spend the weekend with another woman and who knew what he had in there. She wasn’t sure she wanted to find out after the quick flash of jealously at the refrigerator. This whole being in love with him thing kinda caught her off guard in all sorts of ways.

“Am I suppose to know where your pants are?”

“Oh sorry. In my bag.” He hollered.

So she was going through his bag after all. If he didn’t seem to care why should she. She found the pants near the top and pulled them out. A quick pocket check revealed some cash, loose change and piece of paper folded in a square. She was going to just throw it out but then wondered if it was something he needed. Notes for a case?

Ziva unfolded it and saw it was just the scoresheet for the game Tony had played with Abby and the nuns the night before. He must have been the scorekeeper. She was able to decipher that he was a decent bowler. His score was close to the top but not coming close to Abbys. She went to fold it back up to dispose of it when she noted the scratched marks in the corner. He had jotted the name of the club down where Abby has told him they had gone. Below it she saw her name written in his handwriting. It had been written over multiple times. Like he had written it once and then kept retracing the letters with the pen over and over again like one does when they are bored in a meeting and needing to doodle.

The warm and fuzzy feelings she had earlier came back with a vengeance. She pressed the note to her chest and closed her eyes for a minute. It was stupid. It was just her name. But written with his hand, over and over, made it feel almost like a love letter instead. She looked over her shoulder to see if he had noticed what she had done since the door was still open. Relieved she saw his eyes were glued to the tv. Quickly she opened her top dresser drawer and slid it to the back for safe keeping.


	10. Chapter 10

He remember the scorecard in his pocket when she handed him his cash and change on the way to the washing machine. 

“That’s all?” He questioned her trying to remember what he had done with it. It wasn’t a big deal but he felt a little silly that he had scrolled her name in the corner like a love sick teenager. He hadn’t even realized he was doing it until one of the nuns asked him who Ziva was. Just his partner he had told her. Umm hmm was all she had responded before walking away. Odd, he thought. When he looked down to mark the last score he saw the source of the question staring at him in red ink. Fuck. He folded it quick and pocket it before Abby saw and looked to make his exit. That was the last time he had thought about it.

“Yeah, that’s it.” She said as she pulled out the back pockets to show him they were in fact empty. She saw his eyes narrow. He knew it was there she thought to herself. Somehow that made it sweeter. She turned so he would not see her lips lift with a smile as she continued on her way. 

Years later he would realize she had lied to him when he found it in a shoe box with some other old papers high on the top shelf of her closet. But for today he figured it must have just slipped out of his pocket at some point the previous night and forgot about it. 

“Ready to go?” She asked once the first load was in and started.

“Just give me five this is almost over.”

“Seriously?” She was very impatient at waiting when she was ready to go. He reached over and grabbed her hand pulling her into his lap. 

“Just watch the end. They don’t make shows like this anymore.” It was easier than it should have been to sink into him and watch the rest of the scene. One of his arms had looped around her shoulder and the other rested on her stomach holding her against him. She leaned her head against the back of the couch. 

“Fine. But we leave as soon as it’s over.”

“Promise.” His hand rubbed a slow circle with his palm on her stomach then his fingers ran up under the hem of her shirt.

She couldn’t recall what happened in the show a few minutes later but her stomach still burned where his fingers had stoked lightly on her skin. She almost regretted that he was true to his word and popped them up from the couch as soon as the credits hit. But she figured leaving was safer because if she had sat on him for two minutes longer she would have jumped him again. That this was ridiculous did occured to her. They had had sex like five times already. She should not be triggered every single time he touched her. In her mind though she relished that she had twenty nine more hours to get it out of her system. How she would return their relationship back to partners from lovers she hadn’t quite figured out yet. 

As he pulled her towards the door she stopped him to grab her purse and then her reached for her phone. 

“What are you doing?” He asked as she slid the battery back in and put it in her pocket. 

“Come on. We aren’t really going to leave our phones off all weekend are we?” 

“Yes” 

“We can’t do that. What if Gibbs calls?” Her sense duty returned. Overtaking her lust.

“So what? We are not on call this weekend. Joseph’s team has coverage. Did you think I was joking?” He reached over to take the phone from her pocket. 

She twisted away before he could get it. “Well obviously I did. Yes it was a nice dramatic gesture but you are always joking.” She put her hands up towards him as he looked like he would try again to take it. Angled her face ready for what suddenly seemed like it would be a confrontation. The alway joking comment hurt him more than he expected. For once he was being serious with her, or at least as serious he was allowed to be and still keep his job, and she thought it was a joke. What was mild annoyance initially quickly escalated.

“Just stop for a second.” She told him, trying to defuse whatever was happening. She was confused by what looked like anger on his face. 

“We said no rules. No phones Ziva.” 

“Yes okay we did. But we can’t actually do that Tony.” 

“Why not.” His face stayed defiant. She would take him seriously for once he decided. It was for her own good. He knew that when he heard her voice last night saying how sick of rules he heard the desperation behind it. The desperation she had never let out before. She needed this. She needed him to force her to let the phone go if even just for the weekend regardless of the consequences. The longer he was with her the more certain he was. The last five minutes on the couch he had actually felt her relax as she sat on his lap. Just sitting with him watching a dumb show.

“Because we cannot,” was all she could came up with.

“That’s not an answer.” He reached his hand out indicating that she should give him the phone. She met his gaze not backing down either.

“Why does it matter so much.”

“Because it does.” He returned.

“That’s not an answer.” She mimicked him. “Look what will we say if Gibbs does calls and both of our phones go straight to voicemail. He’s gonna know.“ 

“You say your charger broke. I say mine fell in the toilet. Solved. Hand it over.” 

She stared at his out stretch hand not quite believing what she was hearing. “Gibbs will never believe that.”

He turned quickly and picked up her charger from the end table where it was plugged in. Pulled the cord out from the base of it rendering it unusable. She was too shocked to even attempt to stop him. Then he picked his phone and battery up and headed to the washroom. Before she knew it she heard the plop of them hitting the water. 

Her eyes were wide and her mouth had dropped open when he came out a second later. 

“There now there’s nothing to believe except for the truth.” 

She wasn’t sure wether she should laugh, cry or just keep fighting with him. She almost jumped out of her skin before she could decide though when there was a loud knock on the door behind her. 

She looked at him pointedly if it was going to be Gibbs already knowing what they had done. He took a small step back wondering the same thing. 

“Get in the bathroom.” She whispered at him harshly. God she was cute when she was mad he thought, shaking his head refusing to move. 

“Ziva” came the sound of Mrs. Rodstein’s voice through the door again. “Ziva, are you in there?” She knocked again. 

Tony could not help but smile as he watched Ziva recover quickly when she realized it was just her neighbor, then roll her eyes and mutter. “You have got to be kidding me.” She looked back at him and saw his smile. She closed her eyes and took a breathe feeling a bit calmer when she opened them. 

“Tony just get in the bathroom.“ He pointed to his mouth indicating that he would only go if she returned his smile. She shook her own head slightly and gave in giving him what he asked for. 

“Better” he mouthed then went into the bathroom and closed the door. She brushed her hair from her face with her hand and answered the door. 

“Hi Mrs. Rodstein, How are you.” 

“Oh fine dear. Just wanted to make sure you got this door fixed. You know my youngest son is coming for brunch tomorrow if you want him to come over and take a look?” 

“Thank you for the offer. But I think it’s good now.” She motioned for the older woman to move out into the hallway and then demonstrated that it could open and close with no issues. 

“It seems fine now. Just sprayed some WD40 on the hinges and it’s good as new.” She lied. Again. 

“Are you sure? You wouldn’t want it to break again especially late at night. My son would be more than happy to help. And you could come for brunch as well” 

“I am very sure it won’t happen again. And I will have to take a rain check in the brunch. I have some work stuff to take care of tomorrow” She didn’t want to be rude but she needed this woman to leave. She was a great neighbor but the longer the conversation went on the more likely it was that the man hiding in her bathroom would emerge and she was not up to explaining him at the moment. “I will stop over next week to chat. Okay.” 

“Work, work, work Ziva.” Mrs. Rodstein scolded her but getting the message and turning to walk back to her apartment. “You need more than just work in your life you know.” 

“Yes I know.” Ziva agreed, just wanting to close the door already. 

“And dear.” Her neighbor called out one more time. Ziva looked back at her. She got a knowing look and a wink. 

“Nice shirt.” And then she went inside. Ziva paused at her door and looked down. Saw she was still wearing Tony’s oversized Ohio state t shirt. “Fuck.“

“Ummph.” Came out next as she plowed right into him as she went back inside. His hand slipped into her pocket and removed the phone. Her hands went up to his chest. She could feel his heart beat slowly against her palm. He slid the battery off and put them both in the bowl where she put her keys in on the table by the door. She looked down to watch his hands while he did it. When she looked back up his eyes locked on hers. Nobody had stood up to her like this before. Nobody had cared to. 

“You win.” She conceded. “No phones.” 

“I win.” He put his hands on her waist and pulled her closer. His face clearly showing how happy he was at her admission. He leaned down, gave her a slow kiss. “Now that we settled that can we go already? I may pass out soon if I don’t get some food.” 

She laughed. “Yes. Yes we can go.” 


	11. Chapter 11

What they got back to her apartment two hours later Tony found himself doing something he rarely did. Ever. He admitted to himself he was wrong. And boy was he wrong. It wasn’t domestic married weekends that he had a problem with. He could do a thousand of them. It was just that he had never done one with the right girl. 

With Wendy he had done them. They had gone shopping, ran errands, gone on weekend trips. But he always felt like they were something he had to do. They were an obligation. He had prepared himself to get used to them once they were married. Likely one of the reasons she had called off the wedding was she could sense that he spent more time pretending to be part of a couple than actually being part of a couple. 

With Jeanne the lines between what was pretend and what was real were so blurred that he never really had a chance to enjoy anything. If she had been willing to stay things might have been different but that ship had long sailed. All he knew now was that the ease and joy of the last two hours he had spent with Ziva changed everything. Even with unexpected complication that almost ended the weekend early.

Despite the knowledge that her neighbor had seen through her facade she still made him slip out the back door while she went out the front. Who was suppose to see them he was not quite sure but it made her feel better about things so he went along. He was still reveling from the feeling of winning what could possibly be considered as their first real fight. His only regret was that his appetite for food had distracted him from the make up sex that should have followed. He made a note to himself to remind her of that fact later. 

The day was perfect for walking so they headed to the store on foot. Stopping at a deli on the way for sandwiches. She still seemed a tad jumpy and looked to the door every time it opened. To distract her he slid his leg around hers under the table and locked it with his. 

“Stop it”

“Stop what?” She responded, making a feeble attempt to free her leg from his while taking a bite of her pickle. He knew if she really wanted to she could so the fact that she only slightly pulled back meant her heart was not in breaking the contact.

“Staring at the door like the SWAT team is about to enter.”

“Just being prepared. It’s almost like you want to get caught.” She narrowed her eyes at him as she said it. The though had not entered her mind until she said the words. Maybe he did. If they got caught things had to end. Him staying had been her idea in the first place. Yes he had agreed and seems to be enjoying himself but somehow the weekend was turning out very domestic and she recalled with great clarity that he did not do domestic weekends. She suddenly wasn’t so hungry. She put down what was left of her sandwich. 

“We should go.”

He watched her mind turn as the words came out of her mouth. He reached across the table and picked up her leftovers to take a bite and give himself a minute to decide how to respond. His thoughts went a different direction from hers and assumed she was on to his feelings for her being much stronger than they should be. If they got caught then everyone would know and then she would have to make a choice. A choice between their job and what was rapidly evolving between them. Obviously that was not something she was ready to think about he decided.

“The pastrami is good. I will have to get it next time I am here.” He offered her what was left of his cheesesteak. She waved him off reaching over to grab her purse from the empty chair beside her. 

“Ziva.” She looked back over at him leaving her purse where it was. Her leg still interlocked with his but he could feel her tense in preparation to free it. “Just sit for a few minutes. We are not going not going to get caught.” His mind was still working on his next sentence.

“You forgot to Knock on tree Tony.” She replied and then jumped up so fast he almost fell back in his chair when her leg freed itself from his. “On your six DiNozzo. Palmers coming in.” And then she was gone. Darting quickly out through the kitchen at the back of the restaurant. 

“Ziva” he yelled a little too loudly getting up to follow her. When he heard Palmer’s voice behind him. 

“Just for one.” Jimmy told the host. 

Tony turned to the front and swore under his breathe as Jimmy’s eyes locked with his. 

“Tony” Jimmy shouted joyfully immediately heading to Tony’s table. Tony took a quick breathe, one last look towards the kitchen and sat back down.

“Palmer. What a coincidence running into you here.” He decided that Ziva must have been quick enough in her escape that Palmer had not seen her. Now he just needed to get the hell out of there too and find her before she took off entirely. “Hate to rush off but...”

“It’s so great to run into you. I never come this far north usually but I had to drop off some papers with my accountant. He’s just down the block. I asked if he wanted to join me for lunch. But he was busy you know. So it’s just me.” He looked at Tony with a hopeful look that he could join him then it faded quickly as he looked down and saw the almost empty second plate and realized Tony already had company.

“Oh your probably on a date. It’s fine. I’ll go.” Jimmy continued to ramble while now looking around for Tony’s guest. “Is she hot?” Tony laughed. Stood up, so he could move his exit along, and pulled out his wallet hoping he had enough cash to pay the bill.

“What am is saying of course she’s hot. If she’s dating you. Did she go to the bathroom?” 

“She had to run Palmer and I am sorry, but so do I. Hair appointment in ten. If I am late I lose the spot and then it’s six weeks before I can get back in.” Tony threw all the cash he had on the table. Tip was less than he would usually leave but that was the least of his concerns at the moment. 

“Okay guess I will see you at work Monday.”

“For sure, let’s do lunch. I’ll buy.” Tony wanted to head slap himself as the words came out of his mouth. Why had he said that. Fuck. He was losing his mind. Now he would have to explain why he was lunching with the autopsy gremlin. He headed for the door. She better still be here was all he though. 

“Hey Tony. Tony.” Palmer yelled behind him. “She forgot her purse.” Tony stopped quickly. Then turned back slowly. Palmer rushed up to him, handing him Ziva’s purse which she must have left on the chair beside her when she took off. Palmer eyes lingered on the purse a second longer. “Same purse as Ziva has.” His eyes widened slightly.

“Thanks.” Tony took the purse he was handed. Then played dumb in regards to Palmer’s eye eagled observation. “What?”

“Your date’s purse it’s the same as Ziva’s.”

“Huh.” He looked at it feigning complete disinterest. “Never pay attention to things like that. Not many men do...” Tony then made direct eye contact as if to question why any man would know what kind of purse a woman had. It was the only angle he could think of to avoid answering any more questions on the subject and to not have it brought up again.

Palmer blushed furiously. “Yeah. At least I think. Maybe, not sure.” He fumbled trying to convey the manly demeanor of a guy who did it pay attention to woman’s purse.

“See you Monday.” Tony replied and then turned and exited quickly before Palmer could get another word in. He walked at what he considered a reasonable pace in case he was still being watched to the end of the block and then turned and sprinted back down the alley to behind the deli.

“Ziva.” He yelled in what was a very loud whisper. He circle the dumpsters and then checked in between the delivery trucks that were double parked while they were being unloaded.

“ZIVA” he said again. A bit louder.

His back hit one of the vans as she popped out from nowhere and pressed up against him. Her hands found his hair first and then her lips where on his before he could get out another word. He tried for a second then his brain went to mush as her tongue invaded his mouth. He dropped her purse on the ground and his hands moved seemingly of their own will down her back and over her ass.

They carried on like that for a few more minutes before she pulled back and let out a deep breathe. Her eyes still closed, she leaned her forehead on his chest.

“What the hell was that?” Tony questioned trying to regain some sort of composure. His hands settling back up on her hips. He breathed into her hair.

“Forgot how exciting almost getting caught can be,” was all she said before putting her hand in his, turning without making eye contact and pulling him the opposite direction to the store.

She hoped he believed what was just one more lie, in what was becoming a weekend full of them. But she really no longer cared. She had no other way for him to not to see the tears that had come to her eyes at how relieved she was when she saw him turn the corner in an almost full out sprint. That rather than taking off he had come as quick as he could to the back to look for her. For now that was enough to risk getting caught and just enjoying what remained of the day. So that is what she decided to do. 

Tony had no real idea what had changed in her mind but didn’t care either. He just pulled back on her hand, pointed to the ground and said “Don’t forget your purse again dear.” Then hand in hand they went and bought groceries.


	12. Chapter 12

“So since I cooked you do the dishes right. That’s how this works?”

Ziva raised an eyebrow across the table at him as she finished the last few bites of what she had to admit was probably the best homemade pasta she had ever eaten. The red sauce he had added to it was nothing short of amazing. She contemplated trying to bargain though as she looked over at the counter and saw what could only be described as a war zone. Dishes were everywhere. He must have used every singe pot and pan that she owned and all of them were dirty. 

“Yeah. I do the dishes. That’s how this works,” she relented instead. The smile he gave her made the lack of debate worth it. His face was partly shadowed as the room was only lit by the candles he had added to table at the last minute. He looked pretty good by candle light she decided. Tony had been digging around in her cupboards for serving spoons when he had found them. Typically he wasn’t a candles guy but what the hell he figured and set them out. She hadn’t seemed to mind.

When they had gotten back from the store he sent her to her to the bedroom while he cooked supper. While he seldom used his culinary skills he had taken a few cooking classes while he was in boarding school because typically they were full of girls and very few boys. It had turned out well for him on more than one occasion. He really only did about 3 dishes well but the look of surprise on her face when she had tried her first few bites had made him wish he had a few more up his sleeve. Maybe a few more classes were in his future, he thought to himself. 

“So where did you learn to cook?” She asked as if she was reading his mind. He leaned back, setting his napkin on the table. His plate already empty.

“Boarding school. Lots of time on my hands. So I took a few extra classes.” He tried to make the statement casually. He always thought he had gotten over the loneliness and and disappointment he felt when thinking about how his his father had sent him away for the majority of his childhood after his mother died but the sad smile that appeared on her face in understanding as he said the words made his heart pound nervously in his chest that he was about to say more than he should to keep the conversation light. She caught his eyes and held them for a minute. Her sad smile slowly turned into one of genuine pleasure.

“Well...your father’s loss was my gain I guess. Seriously Tony. This was fabulous.” She reached her wine glass across the table and waited until he clinked it with hers.

“To good food.” She said and he smiled again in return. 

“I was seriously worried how edible it would be after seeing how much of a disaster you made of my kitchen.” She directed his eyes back to the “war zone.”

He laughed out loud and winked at her. “That’s the secret.” He leaned across the table and whispered. “Keep expectations low and then you don’t have to actually be very good to exceed them.” He leaned back again and finished his wine. She regarded him carefully. She knew he was speaking about more than just food. He grabbed for the bottle to refill both glasses draining the rest of the bottle.

“Take supper for example. It’s not as good as you think it is. Since you expected it to be terrible your mind thinks something that is merely okay is actually fantastic.“

Now it was her turn to laugh. She took another sip of her wine. She should have played it off. Made a joke and moved on. But she loved him now and that changed everything. 

“I have eaten Italian all over the world. And that was simply one of the best dishes I have ever eaten. Thank you Tony. I won’t forget it.”

He blushed slightly at the compliment while a warm feeling took over his chest. He hadn’t been digging for a further compliment but her truthful words meant more to him than had expected. If he could love her anymore than at this moment he wasn’t sure how. Her face was aglow with the candle light. No make up. Hair messily pulled up just enough to be out of her face. His tongue tied for a second so he sipped his wine before returning a simple “Your welcome Ziva.” Then turned to get up and clear the plates.

She saw the blush on face and left it at that. She stood up as well and helped him empty the rest of the table.

“I got this. I clean remember. You can go watch tv or something.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.” He planted a quick kiss on her cheek and took off out of the kitchen. Plunked himself down on the couch, grabbed the remote and started the search for an evening movie. He subscribed to all the good channels but he had noticed Ziva just had the basics. Local channels and a few others but that was it. He wasn’t very hopeful. 

A few minutes later he gave up and went with a less than ideal but best option available. 

“Pirates is the Caribbean it is.”

“Pirates of the what is what?” Ziva asked, straining to hear him over the running water as she filled the sink. She had a dishwasher but still could not bring herself to put her pots and pans through it if she could help it. And Tony had used more than a few of her pots and pans. 

“Pirates is the Caribbean. You have an amazingly small selection of tv channels to pick from and that is the only option of a movie to watch for tonight. It’s tolerable but a cinema classic it is not.

“Sure sounds fine,” she replied as she started to wash. “Am I suppose to make popcorn?”

He had to think for a second in that one. He always did for himself. Made it seem more like an experience than just watching a movie. Yeah she should make popcorn.

“Yes.” 

“Okay. Well it will need to be microwaveable. That’s all I got.”

“That’s fine. Do you have butter?”

She gave him an eye. 

“Ah yes. I do recall making you buy butter today at the grocery store.” In actuality he had mocked her selection of margarine and asked how any sane person would not keep butter in their house. Margarine was for people who did not like food that tasted good he told her. So yes she did have butter.

He felt slightly guilty as he sat in the couch and watched her continue to wash the dishes he had dirtied. After a few minutes he gave up trying to keep his focus into the tv and went over to help her. If it got him closer to her that was just an added bonus. He picked up the towel to start drying.

“You don’t need to help. I will just be a few more minutes.”

“It’s fine. There’s nothing on anyway.”

They worked in silence for a few more minutes until the last dish was dry and put away. She made one last wipe of the counter and the took the dish towel from him and hung it up on the dishwasher handle. 

He stared at her. She stared back. 

“The movie starts at 7:30.” He told her. She looked at her watch.

“That’s 45 minutes from now.”

“What do you want to do. Is all the laundry done? Should we finish that?”

She thought for a second. They could finish the laundry. That would be the most productive thing to do. 

“I want your hands on my body.” She said instead.

He reached over placed his hands on her hips. Pulled her tight up against him. 

“Good. Because I fucking hate doing laundry.”


	13. Chapter 13

(Okay this chapter is just badly written smut...)

Ziva watched him as he walked her back a step and she bumped the counter. His eyes intensified and he slid his hands lower, gripping her hips. He easily lifted her up off the ground, setting her on the counter in front of him. His hands ran down both her legs, wrapped them around his back. His eyes never left her face. She looped her arms around his neck. 

“Is this what you want?” He ran his hands back up her legs. Her request from a moment earlier had burned into his brain making his mission clear. She said she wanted his hands on her body, so with god as his witness, he would put his hands on every last inch of her before they were done. He started slow pausing briefly on her hips then moving under her shirt and up her back. Her felt her skin heat wherever he touched. She pulled his head forward so she could capture his lips with hers. He groaned into her mouth. 

“Fuck yes.” She answered and let her teeth bite his lip as he effortlessly snapped her bra snap open. One hand captured her breast, her nipples already tight. She strained up against it. He rubbed one nipple, rolled it in between his fingers, then moved to other. His opposite hand still stroked lightly on her back. 

She let her hands ran though his hair then over the stubble on his cheeks. She took one more long kiss then bent her head so she could move her lips down his neck. His head jerked back in response so she had better access. She felt his hand slip around front and his thumb started rubbing slow steady circles on her clit through her jeans. 

He lowered his head and lifted her shirt, his mouth replacing his hand on her breast. She leaned her head back, heard a slight thump as it hit the cupboard before everything started to fade. His thumb moved a bit faster, so did his tongue on her nipple. His teeth nipping lightly. He felt the change when her stomach she start to tense, her arms fell limply to her side. He knew she was already going to cum. It hit him like a truck. 

Ziva David. Mossad asssasin, killer of who knows how many men was putty in his hands. He had barely touched her, she was still fully clothed. Yet he knew could do anything that he wanted to her right now and she would only moan. That was so fucking hot. He quickened his pace. He could not stop if he wanted to. She rocked up against his hand harder, said only his name. He fell right along with her, his mouth biting down and leaving a mark. 

When he regained some composure he opened his eyes. All he saw was her face. Her eyes were still cloudy, her cheeks flushed pink, not quite red. She felt so good. She let a light smile play on her on her lips. Contentment washed through her, feeling like it was radiating from her core. 

He waited a second then looked down to his pants. He saw the wet spot starting to form. As her eyes slowly cleared and could focus again she followed his gaze. They got wide for a second then she threw her head back and laughed, banging her head on the cupboard behind her in the process. 

“Ouch!” Her hand went to her head and rubbed the back of it. He was concerned for a second and brought his hand up to remove hers and felt for a bump. Since she kept laughing and nothing felt elevated he figured she was fine. He relaxed both hands on to her shoulders and shook his head. He should feel embarrassed he thought and he waited for it. But the feeling did not come. Only tenderness did. The look he had seen on her face when he opened his eyes was worth more than his pride. So he laughed right along with her. 

“Guess I am going to have to do laundry after all.” He said. “Cause I am gonna guess you are not going to touch these.” She nodded an emphatic yes and gave one more chuckle before bringing her forehead down and joining it with his. She put her hands back on his cheeks and brought his eyes level with hers.

“Do you really hate laundry?” She asked sincerely, her mind suddenly eager to know the small details of him that she hadn’t before. 

“Yes I do...or I did...I don’t know anymore.” He paused, his breath still uneven. “Yesterday I could have told you that there is nothing that could make me sit and fold laundry and now...” he paused again because he couldn’t quite find the words. “Now...everything kind of feels upside down.” 

The look she made, part smile, part confusion, along with a slight nod of her head told him she understood what he was experiencing so he continued. 

“I just dropped in my pants like a 14 year old kid. I should be embarrassed. But I’m not. And honestly the thought of sitting on the floor with you tonight...folding laundry...sounds pretty fucking amazing.”


	14. Chapter 14

“This is definitely a cinema classic.” 

“Um no. Not a classic.”

“It has everything. A hero, a villain. The villain turns out somewhat good. A love story. What more do you want from a movie?”

“I am going to pretend that you did not just call Pirates of the Caribbean a cinema classic.” He said as he leaned over and kissed the top of her head. They had watched watched the movie laying on the floor. He had put a blanket and some pillows down in front of the couch. His head went on the pillows and hers cuddled on his chest. His one arm looped possessively around her shoulder and he let his hand rest on her stomach. The popcorn sat uneaten beside them.

“If I wasn’t so tired I would drive all the way home and back just to make you watch a true cinema classic. The Godfather, or Casablanca, maybe. Those are true classics Ziva.” She turned her head slightly rolling her eyes at him, not yet ready to get up. He was so warm. She had never noticed how warm he was before. She laid her head back on his chest and closed her eyes as the credits rolled.

“No sleeping.” He warned when she settled back in. He gave her one more minute and finally shifted to sit up bringing her with him. His back cracked and he definitely had a kink he would need to work out of his shoulder. She grunted with displeasure at the motion feeling the loss of heat as he pulled away. 

“I am getting way too old to be sleeping on floors.” He said as he reached up rolling his shoulder and circulating his arms a few times to get the blood moving again. She chuckled feeling a bit stiff herself. She twisted her torso right then left to stretch as well.

“Did you just admit you are getting old? Didn’t realize I was sleeping with an old man.” She said blandly knowing it would get a rise out of him. The Tony Dinozzo she knew never admitted to the fallacies that came with age.

“Hey. Watch your tongue young lady.” He chastised her remembering though that he did actually have a few years on her. Her vast/complex life experience had always made her seem much older that she actually was. He never considered that she might see him too old for her when things actually got serious. If. He corrected himself. If things actually got serious. This was not good. 

“If I wasn’t so exhausted, and stiff I might add, from you jumping me every time I turned around today.” He realized as he said it how it sounded and just gave up. He flopped himself back down on the ground and stared up at the ceiling in defeat.

“The stiff part, that was all you...” She remarked with a coy smile. Then when a few minutes went by and he didn’t say anything just kept saying up she narrowed her eyes in confusion and flopped down beside him. 

She turned her head towards him, leaning it on her wrist until he looked at her.

“I was just kidding.” She said, suddenly she was a little worried that she had in fact offended him.

“It’s fine.” His said his voice low, his eyes looked sad, she raised her hand to put it to his cheek feeling like an ass when before she knew it she was flipped on her back. His hand held hers over her head while his legs locked her down.

“Old man. Who is the old man now Miss David.” He smiled wide relishing in having caught her off guard and taking full advantage.

“Oh you asshole.” She responded curtly, hating the he had bested her. She had actually had felt remorse for a minute for and was about to apologize. The cheeky smile he continued to give her while he loomed over her did did not make it any better. She debated using her usual tactic in a situation such as this of a direct shot to the nuts but changed her mind. She still had 20 hours left of the weekend and while she was not overly happy with him at the moment she did want to keep those parts of him in tact and available for use.

“Okay old man what are you going to do with me?” He raised up on his arms and looked down the full length of her. She waited. Fuck. She was actually exhausted and ready for bed herself. He dragged it out a bit further and then dropped on top of her resting the majority of his weight on his elbows but enough to make her breathe out heavily at the intrusion.

“Nothing. You are right. I am an old man and am ready to go to bed.”

“Oh thank god.” She exclaimed. “Me too.”

He hesitated a moment longer to make sure they were on the same page. “To sleep...Right?” 

She laughed. “Yes. To sleep. Seriously I am done.”

That did make him feel better. Maybe there was hope after all. He stood up reaching a hand down to pull her up with him. She grabbed the popcorn and put it on the counter while he folded the blankets, putting them back on the couch throwing the pillows there as well. He would put them away in the morning. He glanced at the folded laundry in the basket on the floor and decided that could wait as well.

“You didn’t bring runners did you?” She asked him from the kitchen as she put the glasses they had used in the dishwasher, her mind shifting to tomorrow now that she knew they were ready to call it a night. She didn’t recall seeing any when she had gotten his laundry from his bag.

“Runners? No I don’t think so.”

“Okay. I didn’t go for a run today but will need to tomorrow.” She did one final wipe of the counter as followed him into the bedroom. “It’s fine you can just stay here. It won’t take long, an hour or so.”

She went to the dresser to get out some pjs. She pulled out the drawer selecting a tank top and an old pair of gym shorts like any other night. It never really occurred to her that she should wear anything else. He pulled off his shirt and leaned down to remove his pants, left on his boxers. There was no way he was loosing an hour with her.

“I saw a shoe store beside the coffee shop this morning. I can just grab a pair when they open.”

“They don’t open until 9. I like to go early. Don’t worry about it.” She headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. He followed.

“It’s just a few hours. You can wait.”

She picked up her toothbrush, put toothpaste on it, reached over and did the same to his. She ran hers under the faucet leaving the water on for him.

“Okay. I guess. But you seriously want to run 6 miles?” She started to brush still facing him. He turned the faucet off after his toothbrush was wet.

“Umm.” He considered. “How about 3?” He put his brush in his mouth starting in the back.

She paused mid brush. “5” she countered.

God she even looked good brushing her teeth. He know if it came down to it he would run 10 miles in his work shoes. 

“4...and a mile walk to cool down.” He finished his back teeth and on to the front spitting out the excess toothpaste in the sink.

She considered. “Fine. 4 miles at 9 or so am. You can get shoes when you get coffee. Then we can go.” She leaned down and spit in the sink, turned the faucet back on and filled the cup with water to rinse. When she finished she passed him the cup. He rinsed and turned to leave. She grabbed the handle to close the door behind him as he left.

Once she heard his steps end and he got in bed she quietly slipped the lock on the door and reached under the sink and pulled out her phone. She slid a fully charged battery into it and started to flip it open. Yes she had promised him to let it go but she never intended to mean it. The job always came first. Always.

She suddenly closed the phone before it was fully opened. Throwing it back under the sink like it had burned her hand. Tonys face from earlier flashed through her mind. The disappointment on it she knew he felt about his father always putting him second, or third or fourth in some cases. The same disappointment she would see if he had just seen what she was about to do.

For his father maybe it wasn’t the job but it was always something. Her father did it too. That’s were she had learned it. That’s who she would become she realized if she opened the phone and betrayed his trust. She would be just like her father. 

She pulled her hair up into a ponytail instead. Washed her face. Put on her lotion like a hundred nights before. As she looked in the mirror she remembered his words from earlier. Everything felt upside down today he had said. She stared at her reflection not sure that after this weekend she would even be the same again. But maybe, just maybe for the first time in life things were actually right side up. That was something she would need to chew on a bit more. 

“Hey, you coming to bed?” He hollered.

She gave herself one last look in the mirror, pulling the ponytail out. She unlocked the door as quietly as she opened it, flipped off the light and got into bed.


	15. Chapter 15

(Okay another chapter of badly written smut) 

When Ziva woke up she could feel he was hard against her back. He had spooned around her, his legs wrapping hers tight. Her arms interwoven with his. They had fallen asleep separately. Each laying claim to a side of the bed as if the distance would put things back to they way they were before. In sleep though they knew better and he wrapped around her smaller frame with all the intimacy they kept pretending didn’t exist. 

He was still asleep she noted. His breath even and a slight snore every now and again. But still hard and pressing up against her back. Morning wood, as they called it, she thought with a chuckle. She debated easing out from under him, slipping out a leg, then an arm but the heat of him was too much to resist. She laid her hand on his instead. Led it to where she was becoming quickly wet and staring to pulse. 

He woke slowly, the feel of her hand directing his pulled him softly from his sleepy state. He had dreamed he was wrapped up in her was his first though. That she was all warm and cuddly in his arms. It was a dream he had experienced a few times before. As he woke he realized this time it wasn’t a dream. She was in his arms, and all cuddly and...wet. 

His lips found her neck as her hand put his where she wanted it and then went back around to explore his cock. His hips automatically started to grind against her touch. His other hand slipped up her torso finding her breast under her pjs. He groaned as he kneaded it with his palm. 

Her hips moved in response to his. Lightly at first, then more urgently as his fingers stroked lightly then delved inside. She pulled down on his underwear indicating it was time to move this along. He quickly pulled them down, throwing them off to the side as she did the same with her bottoms. She flipped him on his back. Pushed his head against the pillow as she moved on top and led him inside her. Her eyes closed, she leaned her head back, moaning with pleasure as she took all of him in. He was so hard and so thick. He felt so good.

He was in heaven beneath her. She was like fire. As she rode on top of him her arms braced on each side of his head. Her shirt was still on so he lifted him it up and brought her breast back into his hands, took one into his mouth.

“Oh god. Don’t stop,” she uttered. Her pace quickened. He moved his hands to her hips, leaning his head up to keep his mouth on her nipple.

She shuttered as she came. He kept his hands moving her hips as she spasmed on top of him. Her face pressing into his shoulder. 

“Not yet. Almost there.” He muttered hoarsely as he kept pumping nearing his end. She kept moving her hips until she felt him tense up and tighten then she collapsed on his chest. His breathing was heavy moving her up and down. 

“Fuck me.” He said as his hand moved up to cradle her head. She pushed up on both arms so she could look down on him. Her hair untamed and wild. A smile on her lips. She planted a kiss on his lips. 

“Warm ups over Tony. Time for a run.”


	16. Chapter 16

He bought shoes. She made the coffee. They went for a run. He went slower than she was used to but she didn’t mind. The company was nice. He told her stupid silly stories that he made up about the people they passed. Her side hurt from laughing before they were done. 

When they were they came back to her apartment and made breakfast. Then watched tv. More laundry was folded and put away. They played a game of scrabble. She beat him handily. They switched to cards and he faired much better. Six came way too soon for either of them.

“Don’t forget your shirt” she said turning to go get it from the bedroom. He was packed standing by the door.

He grabbed her shoulder stopping her, pivoted her back around. 

“No. Leave it. It looks better on you anyway.”

“But it’s your favorite.”

“Don’t worry I’ll get it back someday.”

“Someday?”

“Yeah someday. You know, when we share...” a house, kids, cars. Lots of things that two days before would have scared the crap out of him suddenly seemed easy for him to say. In fact now he actually looked forward to all of them. Because as long he shared them with her he knew things would be fine. He didn’t say them though. Not yet at least. He was not quite sure if she had gotten to the same place, so he went with a less scary one. “a closet.”

“A closet?” Her brain took a moment to process the implications of what he was saying. That they would someday share a closet. As in they would share a house, which meant maybe a wedding, kids. She wasn’t quite sure. He smiled at her as he said it. His head slowing nodded up and the down as if to answer yes to all the questions clearly running though her mind. That calmed her so she smiled back. 

“Someday. A closet.” She repeated this time her eyes appearing as confident as his in what their future would hold. 

He put both hands on her shoulders and leaned down to give her one last kiss on the forehead. He really did need to go. 

“Bye” He whispered. Leaned down to pick up his bag.

“Bye.” She whispered back.

He did not leave. She did not move.

He leaned down again this time kissing her gently on the mouth. 

“Okay. Bye.” He said again this time thinking if he said it louder he would really mean it.

“Bye.” She echoed louder as well.

He still did not leave. She still did not move.

“Ah fuck it.” He threw his bag back down on the ground. Scooped her up in his arms. Her eyes went wide and she reached both arms around his neck to hang on as he carried her across the room. 

“One more time.”

P.S. A long time later after a lot of crappy shit that should not have needed to happen happened their someday finally came. 

And then they lived happily ever after forever and ever and ever.

And EVER.

The end.


End file.
